Habit
by jmtothemusic
Summary: Even after all these years, Sasuke is still not used to sleeping alone. *In which Kakashi realizes Sasuke has a strange habit of sneaking into his bed while he's sleeping. Set during the month of training before the Chuunin exams. (This is a strange fanfiction...)


Kakashi, as an x-ANBU member and a sharply-trained Jounin was surprised to say the least when he awoke one morning with his bed sheets slightly crinkled out of place and the sound of light foot steps outside his door.

At first, he suspected someone attempted to peek at his face, but his quickened heart slowed when he recalled his odd habit of sleeping with his latex mask on. He rolled from bed and peered into the hallway of the small cabin he and his student had been sharing for the past week to find that Sasuke's door was tightly shut.

Kakashi shut his weary eyes, sensing Sasuke's chakra's every movement, which were few. But it seemed unsettled, telling Kakashi that Sasuke was putting an effort into seeming asleep.

Strange as it was, Kakashi proceeded to make breakfast without questioning his student upon his arrival to the kitchen a few calculated minutes later.

"Is your arm rested?" he idly asked, observing Sasuke's light shrug as a yes, and then ceased his small talk.

They trained intensely for the day, Kakashi giving Sasuke the information he gathered on Gaara of the Sand based upon his previous battle in the preliminary round. Sasuke was as attentive as usual, and his sharp obsidian eyes told Kakashi he was silently plotting a way to win throughout the conversation.

Sasuke's speed, in just a week, had increased rapidly along with his already fantastic stamina. Kakashi spent the first day of week-two having Sasuke concentrate his chakra in his palms- a tedious exercise, yes, but crucial to his use of the chidori- and, by the end of the day, he and his student were exhausted.

With a wave, he retired to his bedroom, dressed in his latex shirt-mask - something he found incredibly comfortable to sleep in - and some simple sweat pants. He vaguely thought of Sasuke, realizing unimportantly that he's yet to see him PJ-clad, due to his professional habit of changing into his training clothing before meeting his teacher for breakfast.

A few calming hours later, Kakashi was waken from his slumber with a small, reflexively held-back jolt of surprise when he felt a small weight shift the mattress slightly to his left.

He didn't move, sensing that the presence moving into his sheets was none other than his student.

What the Hell?

He remained still and quiet as Sasuke shifted carefully, glancing at Kakashi's face to be sure he wasn't awoken. Kakashi lazily kept his face blank, thankful for his poker skills.

On one hand, it would have been nice to know what Sasuke was doing in his bed, but on the other hand, he wondered how stealthy his student was and thought he'd test him to see if he could slip out before he 'woke up'.

He shut his eyes, understanding that Sasuke must've done the same thing the night before, based on the state of his bed that morning. And, with that reasoning, had he been sneaking into his bed all week? While that was both impressive and amusing, Kakashi had to admit it was a bit disturbing.

He kept his eyes shut, hearing only a few hours later the gentle sound of a lithe body slipping from silk sheets and pattering out of the room.

This continued to happen for a few days, Kakashi never once brining it up to his beloved student. Sasuke, in turn, never suspected Kakashi to be awake, believing himself to be stealthy enough to fool the Jounin. But Kakashi found that, in the last week of their training, he had to ask what exactly Sasuke crawled in there for.

He stayed awake, carefully masking his chakra until Sasuke deemed him sleeping, and crept into bed with him. Kakashi tested him, shifting slightly to discover how worried it made Sasuke. He chuckled internally at his panic-stricken features, when he turned to check if he was sleeping.

Ten or so minutes following, he couldn't help but risk Sasuke knowing he was awake, and opened his eyes. He found Sasuke was facing him, breathing softly and sleeping peacefully.

Kakashi sat up, placing a solid hand on the boy's shoulder, suspecting it to be sore from his abundant training. He pulled him into his side, the warm little lump actually leaning into him calmly which was so not-Sasuke-like. Kakashi had the urge to hug him, but shook the strangely paternal feeling away, settling for having his arm swung over Sasuke's cozy, curled up form. He admitted to himself that yes, he found him quite cute.

But it was time to stop playing around, though it tempted him to see what Sasuke'd do if he woke up snuggling with his teacher. He shook him lightly.

"Sasuke, wake up," His lazy baritone pronounced. The charcoal eyes fluttered open, at first recognizing nothing in his fatigue but then flying wide open in dilated, and Kakashi could tell he was trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for his presence.

"I-" He panicked, his usual calm facade fading into wide-eyed mortification.

"It's fine," Kakashi said slowly, as though speaking to an amusing child. "but, you should ask before creeping into someone's room. If you were anyone else, I'd be quite disturbed right now."

Sasuke blushed, mouth agape. He stumbled over his tongue and settled for a short "Okay", before rolling over and falling back asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Kakashi awoke a few minutes before Sasuke and tiptoed into the kitchen to avoid waking him. He whipped up some scrambled eggs, the usual breakfast, and sat at his end of the table with a cup of coffee. Sasuke crept in moments later, a slight dent in his ego from being caught the night before.

Most of the meal was silent, until Sasuke became uncomfortable and broke it.

"I used to share a room with my brother. I promise I won't do it again."

Kakashi raised an inquisitive brow, and the corner of his visible eye crinkled in a smile.

"Don't worry about it. You're welcome to come in any time, Sasuke."

Unfortunately, only a few months later, the left side of Kakashi's bed became a dull void of cold air and perfectly made sheets.


End file.
